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Glite Dictionary
watermeal

watermeal

9.9
Tiny green plants that float on the surface of ponds and lakes
  • noun
  • /ˈwɔːtərˌmiːl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : lenteja de agua
  • The pond surface was covered with a layer of watermeal, giving it a bright green appearance.

Examples

  • Some fish feed on watermeal due to its high protein content and abundance.

  • Researchers studied the rapid growth of watermeal in tropical wetlands.

  • The pond is covered with watermeal.

  • Have you seen the watermeal in the lake?

  • The pond surface was covered with a layer of watermeal, providing a habitat for small aquatic creatures.

  • Scientists have observed the tiny watermeal plants thriving in warm freshwater environments.

  • Some farmers use watermeal as a natural fertilizer in their agricultural practices.

Synonyms

Wolffia
vswatermeal
  • Specialized
9.9

A very small floating water plant with no roots and one tiny flower

refers to individual small free-floating species within that group
Wolffia columbiana
vswatermeal
  • Specialized
9.9

A tiny water plant that is one of the world's smallest flowering plants

is found across warm regions worldwide rather than only in the Americas
common wolffia
vswatermeal
  • US
9.8

A very small water plant from the Americas that is the smallest flowering plant

is one of several similar species that occur across warm regions worldwide

How Small

phytoplankton
  • Specialized
4 8.2
watermeal
  • Specialized
9.9
duckweed
  • Specialized
1 8.3
waterlily
1 3.0

Surface Forms

watermeal singular
watermeals plural

Morphology

watermeal = water + meal (semi-transparent) = water + meal

The components 'water' and 'meal' are recognizable, but the compound denotes a specific tiny aquatic plant and the sense 'meal' (particle-like appearance) is somewhat specialized.

Etymology

Watermeal is made from water and meal, where meal means 'finely ground grain' or 'small grain'. These plants look like tiny grains floating on the water, so the name fits very small plants that float on a pond or lake.